Electric motor



Nov. 28, 1944.

m m X a W m.

Filed Aug. 19, 1942 Marion ESL-lager BY M Zfm ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to an electric motor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a motor with a high horsepower rating per unit of weight and of size.

Another object is to improve the cooling of a small size motor of high speed and high horsepower rating by employing an insula refrig- Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: a Figure 1 ,is a longitudinal sectional viewof a motor embodying the features of the invention; I

Fig. 2 is an end view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated an induction motor having a generally cylindri- I cal housing I with a cap 2 at the rear end and end head 3 at the front end. I The housing I at its rear end is provided with an inwardly extending flange 4. Apertures 5 disposed in the flange 4 and cap 2 permit passage of f motor leads or connections 6 from the motor to a source of power. The flange 4 has a central opening for receiving a bearing 1 to support the motor shaft 8 for high speed rotation. A capillary tube 9 enters the rear end of shaft 8 which projects through a centralxopening in the cap 2. The cap is secured to the flange 4 by suitable screws I0 and has a bracket l I to which the tube 9 is soldered.

The front end of the housing I is provided at its inner end with threads I2 to receive the end head 3 therein and complete the enclosure of the induction motor.

The shaft 8 is mounted for rotation within the housing I, one end thereof being disposed in the bearing I within the rear end of the housing and the other end portion being mounted in the bearing I3 disposed in a central opening in the head 3 at the front end of the housing.

In the embodiment illustrating the invention the generally cylindrical shaft 8 is composed of a front section I4 and a rear section I5. The rear section I 5 is hollow throughout its entire extent to provide the chamber I6 whereas the front section [4 is a solid cylindrical member.

The outer end portion of section I4 of the shaft 8 projects through the end head 3 for a substantial distance and the extreme outer end of section It is provided with threads IT to receive a nut to secure a pulley or other suitable power transmitting means on a'tapered portion of the section 14.. The, inner end of section It constitutes a shouldered plug I8-disposed within the end of the rear section I 5 and the weld I 9 joins the two sections of shaft ttogether. The plug I8 provides a closure for the forward end of chamberrllir l.

The. rear end portion of section I 5 of shaft 8 is disposed within-the cap'2. A washer 20 is provided aroundthe outer endportion of section I5 of shaft .3 and a.nut:-;2 I Zfls threaded onto this end of shaft :8ragainst the washer and co-operates with spacing sleeve .22'and'bearing 1 tohold the shaft securely in place within the housing.

; Therotorzsisisecured totheshaft 8 at a central position of theshaftwithin the housing I and extends for theiagreater; portlon'of the length of the housing.r:Then-otor= his small in diameter and has a substantial length;% It preferably is of the usual squirrel-cage'type having suitable laminations, endu'ings; and'connecting bars. In constructing theflbtflllith end :rings and connecting bars ar'epreferablycastof silver as silver is a good conductor and isadapted for pouring a rotor of small size in that it freezes slowly.

In experiments on the induction motor of the invention, it was found that by fabricating the motor with a diameter of two inches and an overall length of 6% inches, including the end bearings, three horsepower was readily developed with the motor making 18,000 R. P. M. The weightofsuch a motor was approximately four pounds. By designing a motor of a diameter of only two inches, the diameter of the laminae and end bars is necessarily small. It is important, therefore, in making the rotor, that a metal such as silver be employed. Molten silver retains its heat and can be poured into a small rotor form without. freezing in the mold before the rotor is completely poured.

The stator 24 engages the inside of housing I and is spaced from rotor 23 to provide an annular air gap 25. The stator winding 26 is supplied with current by the motor leads 01' connections 6.

For the purpose of cooling the motor a liquid or fluid refrigerant, such as Freon, is introduced preferably at the rear end of shaft 8 and into the chamber I6 by means of the capillary tube 9 of small diameter and extending from the Freon source, not shown, to a point that is a shotrt distance within the chamber I6.

I is preferred that gig; ,he. employed rather than other refrigeran as Freon gas is a good electrical insulator of generally high purity and, therefore, a poor conductor. The

use of Freon eliminates the risk of shortage in the motor which is an important feature in a motor of the size of the invention.

The pressure at which the Freon is released varies with the temperature of the rotor as the temperature of the latter should not be decreased to a point where frost accumulates on its outer areas. The temperature of the rotor determinesthe resistance and slip of the rotor. It is intended, however, to maintain a small amount of the liquid Freon on the interior of the rotor shaft 8 when the motor is in operation. The centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the shaft flows the liquid longitudinally along the wall of chamber I6 close to the rotor 23. A shoulder 21 in the rear end of chamber l6 prevents escape of liquid "Freon" through the rear end of the shaft.

The expansion of the Freon into the atmosphere in chamber (6 by the heat transferred to it from the rotor through the walls of shaft 8 causes the liquid to gasify and produce a temperature such as below zero at one hundred pounds per square inch pressure. The length of-chamber l6 and the radial compactness of the rotor provides a relatively rapid transfer of heat from the rotor through the walls of the shaft to the Freon. Silver, being a very good conductor of heat, facilitates this heat transfer to the Freon. The Freon gas vents through the respective openings 28 provided at the opposite ends ofchamber l6 and extending through the shaft 8 from thechamber [6 to the respective winding spaces 29 disposed at the opposite ends of the rotor. The gas then absorbs heat from the stator winding 26 and stator 24, part of the gas passing through gap 25 between the rotor and stator to gradually escape through apertures in the housing such as bearings l and I3.

The extremely low temperature produced in the Freon as it engages the inner circumference of rotor 23 within chamber (6 in combina-' tion with the small diameter and substantial length of the rotor results in effective cooling of the rotor. The Freon also removes heat from the stator across air gap 25 between the rotor and stator as the differential in temperaturebetween the rotor and stator becomes appreciably great. The employment of the openings or passageways 28 at the opposite ends of chamber I6 to the winding spaces 29 permits the Freon to further expand into a gaseous state and to absorb heat directly from the stator.

Instead of employing the passageways 28 from the chamber l6 directly to the spaces 29, they may be provided through the rotor itself from the chamber IE to the air gap between the stator and rotor, or they may be augmented by such additional passages.

The invention is adapted to be employed in small diameter motors of substantial length developing extremely high horsepower. Its employment results in effective cooling of the motor and elimination of injury to the same by overheating. The invention provides a motor of high horsepower rating per unit of, weight and size as compared to small sized motors made heretofore.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric motor of high horsepower rating per unit of weight, a rotor of small diameter and substantial length with the electrical parts thereof of cast silver and with itsshaft hollow, means to introduce liquid Freon refrigerant into said hollow shaft to be thrown outwardly against the inner surface of the shaft by centrifugal action and thereby absorb heat rapidly inwardly from the rotor, the shaft-having openings at the opposite ends of the rotor to provide an escapefor gaseous refrigerant from the. same into the motor chamber surrounding the rotor and stator to thereby cool the latter, and means allowing the gradual escape of the Freon gas from the motor chamber.

2. In an electric motor of high horsepower rating per unit of weight, a rotor of small diameter and substantial length with the electrical parts thereof of cast silver and with its shaft hollow, means to introduce a phase-changing liquid refrigerant into said hollow shaft to be thrown outwardly against the inner surface of the shaft by centrifugal action and thereby absorb heat rapidly inwardly from the rotor, the shaft having openings at the opposite ends of the rotor to provide an escape for gaseous -refrigerant from the same into the motor chamber surrounding the rotor and stator to thereby cool the latter, means in the shaft to prevent the escape of liquid refrigerant through said opengas from the motor chamber.

MARION B. SAWYER. 

